Entertainment

Public reading of The 39 Steps

The public had a unique opportunity to hear the first read through of a Canadian premier Friday and also learn what director Dayna Tekatch has in store for the Thousand Island Playhouse production of The 39 Steps.

The Playhouse is the first Canadian theatre to have the rights to the show which just finished its Broadway run. It opens at the Springer Theatre May 13 and the cast includes Matthew Gibson and Jacob James as Clowns, Brendan Murray as Richard Hannay and Amy Sellors as all the female parts in the production.

The public was welcomed to the Playhouse production facility Friday for a meet and greet and to experience the read through. This public event started last year.

"It's based on a book written in 1915 and 20 years later it was made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock," Tekatch explained on Friday. "It's an epic story condensed into a play. It's going to be an incredible journey to do with these four very talented actors. It's been a terrific adventure so far."

The 39 Steps follows Richard Hannay, a man with a boring life when, one day, he meets a woman with a thick accent who says she's a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called "The 39 Steps" is hot on his trail in a nationwide manhunt that climaxes in a death-defying finale.

This smash hit fresh from Broadway is packed with nonstop laughs, over 150 zany characters (played by an incredibly talented cast of four), an on-stage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers, and some good old-fashioned romance.

"There are lots of ways to do a play and for this I'm going to be leaning away from parody," Tekatch said. "I feel this needs to be more of a spy thriller. Parody lasts as long as a Saturday night skit. This will be different. I wanted to be sincere."

The set and costume designer is Elizabeth Nutting and the lighting designer is Steve Lucas. Scott Davey is creating new music for the production. "All the set pieces and props are going to be on stage all the time," Nutting explained. "It starts in a gentleman's study and then the pieces appear and disappear. Everything on stage is multi purpose."

Tickets are now on sale by calling 382-7020 or 1-866-382-7020 or visit the Web site at www.1000islandsplayhouse.com.